Academic Performance in Morpho-physiology According to Learning Styles

Abstract

Background: learning is more effective when students are taught according to their predominant learning styles.

Objectives: to characterize the medical students’ learning styles of Morpho-physiology in “Romárico Oro” University Polyclinic in Puerto Padre during the academic year 2014 – 2015.

Methods: a descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in 87 medical students in the place and time defined above. Learning strategies CHAEA questionnaire was applied. Descriptive tests were used in the statistical processing, and t-Student and Chi-Square tests in the variables comparison.

Results: the reflexive style prevailed (average: 16,89 p<0.001); the distribution according to learning styles and sex showed prevalence of this style in both (22,99 % males and 34,48 % females); however, the general distribution showed homogeneity (X2=7,91 p=0,0951); in the students where more than one style prevailed the average score was 3,6 (SD: ±0,56) p=0,0048612, superior to the rest of the styles.

Conclusions: the reflective style prevailed in the general and by sex samples, both with moderate predominance; a significant number of students preferred multimodal learning styles. The low preference for the active style showed deficiencies in the learning cycle. The academic performance was higher in students where more than one style predominated.